Old Trail School was selected as one of the prestigious Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education's 2006 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

Old Trail School was the only school in Summit County and one of 14 in Ohio to receive this designation in 2006. The School was formally recognized in Washington, D.C. in November, 2006 and acknowledged by the state of Ohio in October, 2006

"It is such an honor to be named a Blue Ribbon School," said John Farber, Old Trail's Headmaster. "This is truly a reflection on our teachers, staff, students, families, alumni, grandparents and supporters. We thank all of them for helping Old Trail reach this level of distinction."

The No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools whose students achieve at very high levels or that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap. The 250 schools selected nationwide are chosen based on one of two criteria:

Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools, like Old Trail, in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests.

-or-

Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels based on state tests

The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) nominated Old Trail for this distinction. The award winners were announced September 22, 2006, by U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings.

"These schools show what wonderful accomplishments can be made when we focus on the bottom line in education - student achievement," Secretary Spellings said. "They (the students) are outstanding examples of how all students can achieve to higher standards."